The invention relates, generally, to pinball games and, more particularly, to an improved player controlled ball diverter for use in such games.
Pinball games typically consist of an inclined playfield supporting a rolling ball, player operated flippers and a plurality of play features such as targets, ramps, gates and the like. The player operates the flippers to propel the ball at desired play features thereby to control play of the game.
Most pinball games include structures such as ramps, tracks and lanes to define paths of travel for the ball on the playfield. It is known in the art to provide obstructions or ball diverter gates in these paths to control the movement of the ball on the playfield and to control access to other play features. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,240 to Lawlor et al. discloses a ball diverter including a pivoting cage located above an elevated track for removing a ball from the track and depositing it on an adjacent surface. A typical ball diverter gate is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,981,298 to Lawlor et al. where abutting surfaces separate to create a ball channel. U.S. Pat. No. 4,822,046 to Kim et al. discloses another ball diverter wherein a rotating member includes grooves that define alternate ball paths.
It should be noted that such ball diverters are actuated by solenoids. Solenoids are in wide use in pinball games because they are relatively cheap and reliable, have fast response times and can be microprocessor controlled. When current passes through a conductive coil which is wound around a plunger in a typical solenoid, a magnetic field is created that rapidly moves the plunger from its initial position to an actuated position. When the current is removed, the plunger returns to its initial non-actuated position.
One problem with using solenoids in a typical ball diverter is that to maintain the ball diverter in a certain position, current must be continuously passed through the solenoid coil. If it remains actuated for an extended period of time, the solenoid can overheat and its effective life will be shortened.
What is desired is a solenoid actuated ball diverter which overcomes these problems and which is capable of being maintained in any position without continuous activation of the solenoids.